Paul Hollingsworth funds scholarship for grieving Saint Mary’s University students

Hollingsworth scholarship helps grieving students CTV's Paul Hollingsworth turns his own experiences with grief into a way to help students experiencing hardships of their own.

CTV Atlantic’s Paul Hollingsworth is establishing a scholarship for Saint Mary’s University students who are grieving the loss of a parent or sibling.

In the lead-up to Christmas 1991, Hollingsworth’s older brother Bryce died of suicide while Hollingsworth attended Saint Mary’s in Halifax. He says the community support he received from professors, friends, employers and coworkers is why he has been able to move forward and live a happy and productive life.

“I live my life every single day dedicated to him. I devote my life to a life that was lost,” said Hollingsworth.

But after 31 years of “putting the pieces back together” from his brother’s death, his sister Lauren died last July.

“It brought me horrible pain,” said Hollingsworth. “It brought me to this place where I wanted to do something productive.”

Each year, the Hollingsworth Family Award, valued at $1,000, will be given to a first-year student who has lost a parent or sibling, with additional consideration given to students in financial need.

“I love Saint Mary’s, so to do this and to put some of the pieces back together from my family’s life and to do it and wrap it around my university, Saint Mary’s, I’m so pleased.”

He says he has lived a “blessed life” and is now in a position where he wants to pour his energy into helping people who may find themselves in a similar position that he was in.

“I am a living witness that young people can retain a level of emotional balance in very difficult situations,” Hollingsworth said.

“I also think there is work to do in our community when it comes to helping people gain the capacity to dispel grief and anxiety in constructive ways.”

Hollingsworth is donating $12,500 toward the scholarship and says he plans to fundraise further to keep the scholarship funded for years to come.